Does Discount Tire Patch Tires? When And When Not?

You are in need of a tire path to fixing a leak. You have a Discount Tire location nearby. Does Discount Tire patch tires for customers? A tire patch can be a simple process to at least temporarily hold air in your tires. The question of how to apply a tire patch, and whether or not to go to Discount Tire to do so is something we can help answer.

Does Discount Tire Patch Tires? 

Discount Tire does do tire patches under particular scenarios. These situations require a smaller issue with the tire and a break in the tire that can be mended by a patch. Technicians at Discount Tire will have to remove the tire anyway and do a complete tire inspection.

When is Discount Tire allowed to patch? When do they turn issues back over to you for the purpose of patching yourself?

We’ve worked with technicians in the service department. We’ve also had tires patched up ourselves. We’ll guide you through The Discount Tire policy regarding tire patchings so you know when to head over to their shop, and what to expect.

What is tire patching?

Tire patching refers to gluing or otherwise attaching a patch to the tire to stop an air leak from the tire. While there can be many reasons to patch a tire, tire patches happen most commonly when the tire drove over a small nail or something that managed to make a clean hole.

What tire problems can be repaired with a patch?

Discount Tire offers a few specific guidelines about when a tire cannot be patched up, as well as some methods of precaution.

First, Discount Tire’s technicians will remove the tire from the vehicle so they can perform a complete inspection. Having a small nail in your tire doesn’t mean the rest of the tire is free of damage. The inside and interior sidewall of the tire could have unknown damage that cannot be seen without first removing the tire.

Once the tire is inspected, and hopefully found free of damage beyond what’s causing a minor leak, the technician then considers whether or not the damage is a repairable area.

In order for a Discount Tire technician to make a repair, the damage must be within an area of the tire’s tread. The more specific measurement is that the problem must be more than ½” off the edge of the shoulder, and within the steel belt area of the tire.

The slice within the tire also cannot actually touch the tire’s steel belt and must be 1/4” of an inch long, and straight, or the tire cannot be repaired.

Technicians are also not allowed to repair the same area twice, so if a patch does not work, Discount Tire technicians can’t replace the patch. You might also find that other tire repair shops are unwilling to repatch a tire.

Why can’t Discount Tire patch a tire with a damaged steel belt?

The steel belt within a tire is a major safety component that keeps the tire in the right shape when driving and cornering, and overall keeps the structure of the tire. This piece of metal is very important to the durability and longevity of the tire. It is buried under layers of vulcanized rubber for a reason. 

In regards to safety, you really are better off replacing a tire with a bad belt than you are driving around in a potentially unsafe situation.

What are tire patches made of?

A tire patch is typically made of rubber and has an adhesive backing that makes it stick to the tire. The tire patch is applied to the inside of the tire to keep it from leaking air while also providing the traction you expect from your normal treads.

Can you plug a tire?

Discount Tire itself seems to suggest the idea of patching a tire instead of plugging it. Plugging a tire involves using a substance like rubber cement to physically close a hole without the use of a patch, and is a bit easier to do than applying a tire patch.

How long should I expect a tire patch to last?

One of the best parts about using a tire patch is that it can last for several years if done properly. For many drivers, this involves the entire lifetime of the tire as most drivers will replace a tire before several years are up.

When should a tire just be replaced?

If the puncture is in the sidewall, is deep, is longer than 1/4”, or is an irregular shape – in other words, not a straight line, you should just get a new tire. While it is possible to patch these, it probably won’t work very well.

What should I do if I get tire damage?

Unfortunately, tire damage isn’t always noticeable right away. Not everyone hears a “pop” and hears a “hiss” of air leaking out of the tire. 

The worst part of this is that if the tire is getting low on air as the result of a puncture, you also start to risk bending the rim the tire is applied to because it is not meant to hold the weight of the vehicle.

The best thing you can do is pull over as soon as you can to avoid further damage. Have your vehicle towed to the nearest Discount Tire or other tire shops in hopes that the damage isn’t too extensive.

Can I patch a tire at home?

You definitely could. One of the biggest factors in how long the tire patch will last is how well it is applied. 

This is why we suggest going to Discount Tire to see if they will do a tire patch for you because they have applied many, many tire patches and will likely be able to help make the tire patch last longer. You’ll also learn more about other potential tire damage problems that a tire expert can see.

Can they patch tires in more than one spot?

So long as the tire patches aren’t needed in the same spot, you can apply tire patches to multiple places on the same tire.

Should I drive differently on a patched tire?

Nope! The patch applies to the inside of the tire, not the outside. You won’t notice a difference in traction.

Why does Discount Tire have rules about tire repairs?

Tires have a very important part of the job as the (hopefully!) only part of your vehicle making contact with the road. 

Ideally, both you and Discount Tire want to have the lowest risk of having a larger issue with the tire – considering that bad tires can readily lead to an accident. While Discount Tire has many tires in stock they could sell you, they will first try to work with the tires you have.

It’s also true that one of the goals of automotive service is to get the tires off and offer a deeper inspection of the vehicle, this might be something you need anyway to find any other undiscovered problems.